Keeneland have announced the expansion of its lucrative September Sale Bonus Program to include a Sellers Program, which, together with the previously announced Book 1 Bonus, will offer cash rewards to horses sold at the September Yearling Sale that win graded or group stakes.
The September Sale Bonus Program begins with graduates of the 2017 September Sale, to be held Sept. 11-23. Officials also confirmed details of a revised September Sale format that this year opens with an exclusive one-day Book 1 followed by a three-day Book 2, with the goal to showcase a critical mass of upper-market horses during Week 1 of the sale.
This year, 4,139 yearlings are
cataloged for the 12-day September Sale, which annually attracts the world's
major buyers with the opportunity to shop the cream of the North American
yearling crop.
Catalogs will be available online at September.keeneland.com beginning Tuesday, Aug. 8. Print catalogs will be mailed the week of Aug. 21.
The September Sale Bonus Program comprises two components: the Book 1 Bonus and Seller Bonus. The Book 1 Bonus targets Grade or Group 1 stakes winners that sold as yearlings in the premier Book 1 portion of the September Sale. The Seller Bonus extends opportunities for rewards to all eligible graded or group stakes winners sold at any time during the September Sale.
"Keeneland's September Sale plays an unparalleled role in the global racing community as the primary source of champions and graded or group stakes winners year after year," Keeneland Vice President of Racing and Sales Bob Elliston said. "This unique Bonus Program underscores Keeneland's commitment to invest in the Thoroughbred industry, to recognize our loyal sellers and owners, and to advance excellence in racing worldwide."
The September Sale produces more winners on racing's biggest stages, from the Triple Crown to Royal Ascot to Dubai's Racing Festival and the Breeders' Cup World Championships, than all other North American yearling sales combined. To date this year, 84 September Sale graduates have won 109 graded or group stakes. Among its stars are Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Always Dreaming ; Preakness (G1) winner Cloud Computing ; 2016 Eclipse Award winner and World's Best Racehorse Arrogate , the richest North American-based Thoroughbred in history; and multiple Grade 1 winners Abel Tasman and Lady Eli . Keeneland sales alumni also excel on the world stage, accounting so far this year for 18 group wins in England, Ireland, France, Japan, Dubai, Australia, Singapore and Peru, and include Lady Aurelia , runaway winner of the King's Stand (G1) at Royal Ascot, and Falmouth (G1) and Prix Rothschild (G1) victor Roly Poly.
Keeneland September Sale Bonus Program
Keeneland created the September Sale Bonus Program to reward sellers and owners from the sales ring to the winner's circle. Keeneland will invest approximately $1.1 million in year one, and $1.9 million in years two and beyond, to fund the bonus program.
"The positive support from horsemen with regard to the Book 1 Bonus, announced in April, prompted Keeneland to fast-track the rollout of the program's second tier, the Seller Bonus," Elliston said. "Based on race results from 2015 and 2016, Keeneland projects it will pay nearly $3 million in cash rewards over the program's first two years to the sellers and owners of graduates of this year's September Sale."
Book 1 Bonus: The Book 1 Bonus offers cash rewards to both the seller (owner at the time of sale) and owner (at the time of the race) of Book 1 graduates that win a Grade or Group 1 stakes in eligible countries as a 2- or 3-year-old (2-year-olds are eligible in 2018; 2- and 3-year-olds are eligible in 2019). Sellers and owners earn double rewards if their Book 1 graduate captures a Keeneland Grade 1 stakes or the Toyota Blue Grass (G2). Book 1 Bonus rewards are capped at $500,000 per horse each year and excess funds will carry forward to the following calendar year.
Seller Bonus: Keeneland will augment the Book 1 Bonus with a Seller Bonus, which provides cash rewards to sellers (the owner at the time of sale) of horses sold during any book of the September Sale that win Grade or Group 1, 2 or 3 stakes as a 2- or 3-year-old. (Book 1 graduates who win a Grade or Group 1 stakes will receive the Book 1 Bonus in lieu of the Seller Bonus. Book 1 graduates may receive the Seller Bonus for a Grade or Group 2 or 3 win.)
Seller Bonus rewards will be awarded as follows: $10,000 for a Grade or Group 1 stakes win; $7,500 for a Grade or Group 2 win; and $5,000 for a Grade or Group 3 victory. A maximum of $10,000 will be paid per horse over the two-year period.
Sellers and owners of horses that win a graded stakes in the U.S. and Canada or a group stakes in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Peru, South Africa and United Arab Emirates are eligible to participate.
Click here for more information about the Keeneland September Sale Bonus Program.
Sale Format Change Strengthens Week 1
Keeneland continually strives to enhance the overall sales experience for consignors and buyers. Toward that goal, Keeneland revised this year's Week 1 sale format to feature 167 elite yearlings during an exclusive one-day Book 1, followed by 1,036 top-quality yearlings offered over three days in Book 2. As a result, 1,203 yearlings are cataloged during Week 1 versus 607 (3-day Book 1) in 2016.
"These changes reflect the Keeneland's efforts to streamline operations for our clients and to provide the deepest buying bench possible," Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell said. "Buyers tell us about their travel challenges and limited availability to attend the sale. For their convenience, we doubled the number of exceptional yearlings cataloged before the Week 1 break on Friday."
The September Sale covers 12 sessions. The format is as follows:
· Book 1 (Monday, Sept. 11) – Session begins at 3 p.m.
· Book 2 (Tuesday-Thursday, Sept. 12-14) – Sessions begin at 11 a.m. daily.
· Dark Day, Friday, Sept. 15 – No sale will be conducted.
· Books 3-6 (Saturday-Saturday, Sept. 16-23) – Sessions begin at 10 a.m.
Keeneland will provide live gavel-to-gavel coverage of the entire September Sale at Keeneland.com.
2017 September Sale Offers Yearlings by World's Top Stallions
The September Sale is globally renowned for its depth and breadth of quality; the sale offers outstanding individuals by the world's leading stallions at all levels of the market, many from active families who are siblings to champions and graded or group stakes winners. Of the 4,139 yearlings cataloged to the 2017 September Sale, 2,159 are colts and 1,980 are fillies.
This year's catalog features individuals by 206 established sires, led by Bernardini, Bodemeister, City Zip, Curlin, Dansili (GB), Deep Impact (JPN), Distorted Humor, Dubawi (IRE), Empire Maker, Frankel (GB), Galileo (IRE), Ghostzapper, Giant's Causeway, Into Mischief, Kitten's Joy, Malibu Moon, Medaglia d'Oro, More Than Ready, Orb, Pioneerof the Nile, Smart Strike, Speightstown, Tapit, Tiznow, Uncle Mo and War Front, as well as a number of yearlings from the last crop of the successful sire Scat Daddy.
The catalog also includes yearlings by such exciting young stallions as Cairo Prince, Cross Traffic, Fed Biz, Goldencents, Magician (IRE), Noble Mission (GB), Strong Mandate, Verrazano and Will Take Charge, among others.
